10 Random Facts About Me (With Pics)

While this site is primarily a place where I put up articles and science related to health and fitness, I’ll occasionally spice things up with some lighter and more personal blog posts. A lot of my time is spent reading, writing, and training, but I’m not a full time nerd and gym junkie – I also do other things. Here’s 10 random things you probably don’t know about me…

1) I almost always shower in cold water

I often talk about the gene-environment mismatch we’re now facing, and the implications this mismatch has for human health. Nutrition, exercise, and microbial exposures are an essential part of this divergence, and another factor that’s often overlooked is the lack of acute stressors in the modern environment. We’re no longer exposed to the harsh elements or attacked by wild animals – we’ve become soft. Hormesis is defined as “a theoretical phenomenon of dose-response relationships in which something (as a heavy metal or ionizing radiation) that produces harmful biological effects at moderate to high doses may produce beneficial effects at low doses” (1). One type of hormesis is taking cold water showers. While I primarily like to shower in cold water because it kick-starts my body and doesn’t dry out my skin, there are also some proven health benefits associated with mild cold exposure.
Cold water showers are relatively uncomfortable as you get into the water, but you quickly adapt – and you feel great afterwards.

2) I’m a tv series fanatic

Favorite shows include Game of Thrones, Suits, Homeland, 24, Prison Break, and Dexter.

3) I was an avid chess player when I was younger

Old picture of me analyzing a chess game with my opponent.

I used to be a member in a chess club and participated in tournaments for many years. I never really put a lot of time and effort into it, so I never got very good, but it was a lot of fun. Also, I played against Magnus Carlsen, the world’s best player (today), directly before he started to get really good. I had a very good position, but ended up losing in the end. I actually met him last year and talked to him a bit. We started discussing the game we played more than 10 years ago, and he actually remembered every move we made!

4) I’m a decent volleyball player

… and not just because I’m tall.

5) I like swimming

… but I’ve never really gotten a hang of it.

6) I enjoy a good party

Varying frequency. Some periods I go out a lot and some months not at all.

7) I’m 6’5

I dressed out as a zombie gladiator for a Halloween party last year and became especially intimidating as I’m so tall.

8) I once studied economics

… but quickly realised that it wasn’t for me.

9) I’ve often heard that I look like the swedish actor Dolph Lundgren (Rocky 4 and other well-known movies)

The swedish actor Dolph Lundgren

10) I once ate 1 kg (2.2 pounds) meat in 9 minutes and 24 seconds

Several years back I travelled around Europe with three friends. One night in Prague (Czech) we went out to dinner at a well-known and relatively expensive restaurant in one of the main streets. To avoid spending too much money I simply ordered a caesar’s salad, but while I was eating I shifted through the menu and discovered that the restaurant had a running contest where you could get 1 kg meat for free if you managed to eat the entire steak in less than 30 minutes. Naturally, I had to try. I started eating and quickly realised that getting under 30 minutes was no problem – I wanted to beat the record. I started eating as fast as I could, but sadly I didn’t manage to beat the record, which was something like 9 minutes and 45 seconds. However, I was determined to get 1st place and get my picture on the wall in the restaurant (haha) so I came back the next morning after having fasted since last night’s dinner. This time I skipped the salad, and I managed to beat the record time. While clearly not the biggest accomplishment in the world, it was kinda cool to beat all of those people who’d done the challenge before me and get my picture on the wall in the restaurant.
However, a friend of mine went to Prague this year and ate at the same restaurant, and I asked her to check if I still had the record – sadly I don’t. I’m now in second place, so perhaps I have to go back one time and retake the throne 😛 Not that I think I could have eaten any faster…

Do you think you could have beaten my record time?

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I loved this post and the random facts about the handsome and smart young man behind the well thought out articles. I would be particularly interested more on in the hormesis subject. I think that might be why intermittent fasting is helpful to some of us, along with the obvious; exercising.

I do remember the feeling as a young girl at summer camp when we would jump into the river first thing in the morning. I always hated it at first but felt great afterwords and never realized that there was actually some benefit. I am curious also about the history and why some ancient cultures did similar things like the Roman bath’s.

Thanks Roberta! I’ve actually been reading your blog lately as well, congrats on your awesome results (“How I Lost Belly Fat and got my Abs back”). Yes, the hormesis aspect is definitely one of the reasons why a lot of people find intermittent fasting to be so effective. From an evolutionary standpoint it’s obvious that we’re “supposed to” endure certain periods of food shortage and fasting.

Hi, my name is Eirik. I'm a nutritionist, blogger, writer for several health websites and magazines, and personal trainer with additional courses in sales/coaching, kettlebells, body analysis, and functional rehabilitation. The mismatch between our ancient genome and the modern environment has major implications for human health, and the purpose of this site is to investigate how we can reconnect with nature, rewild our bodies, and reclaim our health, while still enjoying the benefits of modern technology. Read more about me...

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